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Tybee Island Half Marathon - RunHalf Marathon


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Tybee Island, Georgia
United States
40F / 4C
Overcast
Total Time = 2h 15m 13s
Overall Rank = 656/968
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 42/69
Pre-race routine:

Got up and had my diet coke and snickers low carb marathon bar. (Fudge nut brownie flavor- it's awesome!) Ran around the block to loosen up a bit and try to warm up- it was cold and windy. I wore my knee length C9 running tights, a cotton t-shirt and my Nike technical fabric jacket.
Event warmup:

Ran around the block. Not much else. Used a kids bathroom where I listened to 2 older women talking about which Ironmans they had done and the next one up on the agenda. The one in the stall next to me said she was training for the Ironman in Kentucky. The other one asked her how old she was and she said 70- she wouldn't have a whole lot of competition in her age group and how her goal was to earn a spot to Kona. I just sat there thinking that these 2 women (the other was 50) have got to be the 2 coolest women in the world. Especially the 70 year old Ironwoman.
Run
  • 2h 15m 13s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 10m 19s  min/mile
Comments:

This was a dream race. I ran this faster than I ever thought possible. I started out fast, but it felt good. And it kept feeling good. I took at gel at mile 4 and started cramping, so I decided no more gels. I did take water at mile 10. But not much water, I didn't really feel like I needed it and didn't want to break stride to get it.
What would you do differently?:

I would have avoided that bump in the road and wouldn't have fallen. That was embarrassing. I bruised my hip and skinned my hands and my right shin, but that was it. I fell forward, rolled with it, got up and kept going. The guy behind me told me not to worry, the same thing happened to him the previous year. I laughed and said that falling over on your bike at a stop sign was more embarrassing....

Post race
Warm down:

Walked and tried not to puke. The entire last half mile I thought I was gonna puke- I was going that hard. But I didn't. I just kept walking and got water and powerade. Then my calves started cramping. But I didn't care, I just stretched them out with this big grin on my face. After all, I didn't just meet my goal, I SHATTERED my goal. And my husband was there to see it and he got a picture of me running down the last bit to the finish. I felt triumphant.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

ha ha. Well, I guess experience, weight, etc. etc. At this point, I don't think I possibly could have gone faster.

Event comments:

I never would have imagined that I had it in me to do this race in this time. I mean, I know it's flat, and I train in a hilly area, but even on a treadmill, I'm pushing it to maintain this pace for 3 miles, let alone 13.1. My original goal was to finish in 2:45. Then, in training I did it in 2:40, so my new goal was to finish in 2:30. I still can't believe my time. It's almost unfathomable to me.

On about mile #3, a lady came by listening to headphones and singing (badly) at the top of her lungs. The guy next to me and I chuckled about the "free entertainment." He and I started to chat and he was really enthralled with my Garmin and the fact that I could report our pace. So, every so often I'd tell him our pace, and we'd talk about the fact that we both felt strong and good. He told me that his usual routine was to start out too strong and crash at mile 10, I told him that a year ago I was running 15 minute miles. So we continued on and both couldn't believe how good we felt and how easy we were able to maintain the pace. I told him I was game if he was to stick it out and try to hold the pace for the race. He agreed. We kept each other going, he'd speed up, and then I would and as the miles passed, we were both excited that we were having such a good race. Then I fell, and that was embarrassing, but he was right there and helped me up and we continued on. He did leave me in the last mile- he had more gas in the tank than I did, and that was ok- it did not bother me.I felt triumphant enough as it was. I didn't need to cross the finish at the same time.

After I crossed the finish and cooled down, he introduced me to his wife, we hugged and he told me that I was the reason he had the best race of his life. I laughed and told him that I was going to tell him the same thing. If I hadn't had a buddy running there with me, I might have been tempted to slow down and take it easy. He pushed me and I pushed him, and together, we had a perfect race. His wife is supposed to email me our picture. I'll post it in an album if I get it.

I still have a grin on my face. After all, this former fat chick who waddled a 6:30:30 marathon last June just RAN a 2:15:13 half marathon. Yep. Zone training works. Tri training works. Life is good.





Last updated: 2007-01-26 12:00 AM
Running
02:15:13 | 13.1 miles | 10m 19s  min/mile
Age Group: 42/69
Overall: 656/968
Performance: Good
Time was based on my garmin. Gun time had me at 2:15:33. Chip time is not availabe yet. Mile 1 = 10:43, HR = 159 Mile 2 = 10:10, HR = 174 Mile 3 = 10:25, HR = 178 Mile 4 = 10:05, HR = 180 Mile 5 = 10:30, HR = 181 Mile 6 = 10:28, HR = 180 Mile 7 = 10:14, HR = 181 Mile 8 = 10:23 (this is the mile I fell on), HR = 182 Mile 9 = 10:33, HR = 183 Mile 10 = 10:01, HR = 185 Mile 11 = 10:19, HR = 185 Mile 12 = 10:04, HR = 186 Mile 13.1 = 11:13, HR = 188 (if these don't add up to 2:15:13 it's because I didn't round) Avg Heart Rate = 180, Max was 193
Course: Very Flat, scenic, but windy. Lots of potholes and raised bumps from tree roots.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2007-02-04 7:08 PM

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Master
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Tiger's Den
Subject: Tybee Island Half Marathon


2007-02-04 7:23 PM
in reply to: #678990

Veteran
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Columbus, Ohio
Subject: RE: Tybee Island Half Marathon

Fantastic race report!  I can't believe a year ago you were running a 6:30 marathon and now you're doing a half in a third of the time.  You're awesome!

I love hearing stories about older women not letting age deter them from working out and doing races.  I keep on hearing you'll have to stop in a few years....your knees will give out...blah blah blah...but hearing that 70 year olds are still doing Ironmans and running marathon, now thats truly inspirational. 

2007-02-04 9:03 PM
in reply to: #678990

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Elite
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Subject: RE: Tybee Island Half Marathon
Great report Suzanne.  With all your hard work you really earned that race.  I guess now you have to start training for a HIM?
2007-02-04 9:54 PM
in reply to: #678990

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Master
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Southwest Chicago 'burbs
Bronze member
Subject: RE: Tybee Island Half Marathon
AWESOME race!!!  Saw your thread from January where you were wondering if you could break 2:30.... all I can say is, WOW.  You go, girl! 
2007-02-05 8:53 AM
in reply to: #679086

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Master
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Tiger's Den
Subject: RE: Tybee Island Half Marathon
Thank you! I am still on cloud nine! Now I have plans to break 60 minutes on a 10K in early March.... hmmmm... don't know if it will be flat or hilly so that may impact it....
2007-02-05 11:11 AM
in reply to: #678990

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2007-02-09 11:36 AM
in reply to: #678990

Champion
5345
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Carlsbad, California
Subject: RE: Tybee Island Half Marathon
That is a very cool race report and an outstanding Half Marathon

Some interesting stats from your spits that you might not have noticed:

1st Half - 1:07:58
2nd Half - 1:07:09

You ran a Negative split by 49 Seconds and your fastest mile was mile 11. (Very nice Kick at the end)

You ran the last 5k at 31:36 which is only 51 Seconds off of your 5k PR. (But you did run 10 miles before this) I suspect that your 5k PR looks a bit soft. The runnin calculator suggests your capable of a Sub-30

Congratulations on an excellent race (Perfectly executed) and a great time out there on the course. (The two IronWomen in the Loo story is fabulous)

Cheers

2007-02-09 12:59 PM
in reply to: #685268

Master
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Tiger's Den
Subject: RE: Tybee Island Half Marathon

I didn't realize I had a negative split. Actually I think my fastest mile was 12-13.1- my garmin said 9:50 pace, but since it has the extra .1 it looked slower! Of course, I was about to puke my guts out there at the end. I was trying to get under 2:15...

The last time I ran a 5K was in my tri last august. I did do a 30:46 5K on the treadmill this fall, but otherwise don't have any 5K races to compare it to. I plan on doing a 10K on 3-3, I want to break 60 min but not sure how hilly the course is.

I still can't believe I ran a 2:15:13- I surprised myself!

Yeh, those older ironwomen we awesome!

2007-02-09 9:44 PM
in reply to: #678990

Expert
853
5001001001002525
Fort Worth, Texas
Subject: RE: Tybee Island Half Marathon
What a GREAT race report!!! I am doing my first half in two weeks and your RR has really gotten me excited. My goal is to do it under 2:30, 2:15 is AWESOME!! You should be so proud of yourself. I need to get out and check out the race course, I think there are a few hills on mine, but I still hope to get around 2:30. Keep up the great work!
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